Page 79 - Bugle Autumn 2014

AGC Triple Crown
Members of 4 RIFLES SPS detachment attended the Triple Crown Competition on 14 May 2014.
The competition is for all cap badges within the AGC, held at the Corps Headquarters at Worthy Down. It consists of two main events: the 12 mile March and Shoot, and Military Skills. After the events, there is a prize giving with a VIP and then evening entertainment in marquees. This
is an ideal opportunity to get together with friends from across the Corps.
First up was the March and Shoot.
The team arrived in good time for some breakfast and final admin before heading
for a 0700 start raring to go. A few final
kit checks and the ‘weigh in’ ensured compliance with the rules, before setting
us off. The remainder of the detachment provided some encouragement a couple of miles out of camp and then we were on our own until the final push. Halfway through the march we arrived at the ranges to complete the shoot. This involved a 25m shoot with
Welfare Office
Kit bags packed, all the essentials required by a modern soldier are tucked inside.
The 4 RIFLES AGC Triple Crown team.
a magazine of 10 rounds per man firing at a static target of a 30-second exposure. The aim of this shoot is to collectively hit the target with every round in the exposure. Following the shoot, we donned our kit once more for the final 6 mile leg back to the finish line. The heat was unbearable and we were all exhausted. We shuffled
as much as we could all the way back in to
the girl soldier played for laughs by Goldie Hawn – taking part in the kind of gruelling
be met by the rest of the detachment, who screamed and shouted encouragement on the last 500m. With every ounce of energy we had left in our bodies, we crossed the line, jubilant for finishing!
It was now time to support the other team on the Military Skills stands, which included memory, vehicle recognition, fieldcraft skills, ‘Tri-Service Rank Recognition’ and medical treatment to name but a few. This was then finished off by a 4-mile best effort march carrying 10 kgs, including the grand finale - the assault course.
There was no expectation for any spectacular result as the teams attended the prize giving ceremony. The last category to be announced was the overall winner, which went to 4 RIFLES, taking us all by surprise. We were pleased that our hard work paid off!
A very good effort by all of the Detachment and hopefully we can retain the title in 2015.
LCpl Rigby, SPS Detachment
periods when their men are away from home.
There are food rations – some kind of chicken pasta “thing” – clean socks, lip gloss and of course hair extensions.
For the army’s newest recruits, going out on manoeuvres meant being thoroughly prepared. But while the wives took care to pack their grooming essentials for their stint as a modern soldier, it very quickly became clear the lip gloss and brushes would be surplus to requirements half way up the hill to Dumbbell Wood.
There, exposed to the elements, the army wives became real life Private Benjamins –
exercises and outdoor adventures that their husbands endure regularly. For some whose make-up essentials
remained firmly
While they were hitting the hills in full kit, cooking under flimsy ponchos and taking part in shooting, their
husbands were mostly back home, looking after the kids. The one-day exercise was organized by CSjt Bobby Charlton and involved typical military
activities, from team challenges to cooking in the field, as well as some shooting and section attacks with paintballs. Some of the girls would have given their husbands a run for their money.
“It was hard work, fun, and it definitely gave us a proper idea of what our husbands actually do.” said one enthusiast
The highlight for most was the chance to get their hands on a rifle, practising on the 25m range. Many said the exercise was
a perfect chance to meet other new wives and forge new friendships among women they might otherwise only pass by or nod to.
CSjt Charlton summarised the exercise neatly: “The wives really are the backbone of the Battalion, they’re a very important part of the Battalion life. When we go away, they support each other. They all understand what each other is going through in a way only people who are involved in the Army can.”
Sjt D Whyte
UWO SNCO
inside their kit bag,
the experience was
quite an eye-opener.
Their time as troops,
when they took part in
everything from square
bashing to shooting exercises, was also a valuable chance to get to know each other, forming bonds that can be vital during long
“It was hard work, fun, and it definitely gave us a proper idea of what our husbands actually do.”
The wives line up for kit inspection.
THE RIFLES
FOURTH BATTALION 77